Dusky Salamander
Desmognathus fuscus
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassAmphibia (Amfibis)
- OrderCaudata (Caudats)
- FamilyPlethodontidae (Lungless Salamanders)
- GenusDesmognathus (Dusky Salamanders)
- SpeciesDesmognathus fuscus (Dusky Salamander)
Desmognathus fuscus is a species of amphibian in the family Plethodontidae (lungless salamanders). The species is commonly called the dusky salamander or northern dusky salamander to distinguish it from populations in the southern United States which form several distinct species, the southern dusky salamanders (D. auriculatus, D. valentinei). The northern dusky salamander is the most widespread representative of its genus in Canada. It can be found in eastern North America from extreme eastern Canada in New Brunswick south to South Carolina. The size of the species' total population is unknown, but is assumed to easily exceed 100,000. The species' habitat differs somewhat geographically; dusky salamanders in the northern part of the range prefer rocky woodland streams, seepages, and springs, while those in the south favor floodplains, sloughs, and muddy places along upland streams. Wikipedia →
10–20% of wildlife watchers report a Dusky Salamander sighting in Shenandoah National Park, based on 71 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Shenandoah National Park
Seal Salamander
Desmognathus monticola
Eastern Red-backed Salamander
Plethodon cinereus
Northern Two-lined Salamander
Eurycea bislineata
White-spotted Slimy Salamander
Plethodon cylindraceus
Shenandoah Salamander
Plethodon shenandoah
Red Salamander
Pseudotriton ruber
Spring Salamander
Gyrinophilus porphyriticus
Long-tailed Salamander
Eurycea longicauda
Southern Two-lined Salamander
Eurycea cirrigera
Three-lined Salamander
Eurycea guttolineata
Four-toed Salamander
Hemidactylium scutatum
Valley and Ridge Salamander
Plethodon hoffmani
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shenandoah National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
More parks will be added in future updates.
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Dusky Salamander in Shenandoah National Park?
About 15% of wildlife watchers report a Dusky Salamander sighting in Shenandoah National Park, based on 71 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Dusky Salamander in Shenandoah National Park?
October has the highest sighting rate for Dusky Salamander in Shenandoah National Park in our monthly data.